Copa Airlines announces two new destinations, strengthens its route network

PANAMA CITY, Panama – Copa Airlines, subsidiary of Copa Holdings, SA, announced accomplishments for the first half of 2014 and growth plans for the second half, including the addition of two new direct flights, from Panama to Campinas, Brazil and Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba.

The additions reflect the airline’s continued leadership in the region, and offer passengers from the two new destinations the fastest and most convenient way to connect through the Hub of the Americas in Panama with the rest of the continent.

"Through the years, Copa Airlines has demonstrated its dedication to world-class service, providing passengers the most efficient connectivity on travel to and from North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean," said Pedro Heilbron, Copa CEO. "These two new destinations will strengthen Copa’s extensive route network, fostering business growth in Campinas and increasing regional tourism in the spectacular Cayo Santa Maria."

For the first half of 2014, the airline showed a capacity increase, measured in available seat miles, of 11 percent, and transported 5.7 million passengers, airline officials announced.

During the first six months of 2014, Copa Airlines added four new Boeing Next Generation 737-800 aircraft equipped with the innovative Split Scimitar Winglets to its fleet, bringing its total to 94 aircraft. FlightStats named Copa the airline with the best on-time record in South America, and Aviation Weekly magazine named Copa "2013 Airline of the Year" for its performance, efficiency and the effectiveness of its business model.

During the second half of 2014, Copa will add four new high-tech Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft, bringing its fleet total to 98 aircraft and increasing the number of available seats by 10 percent over 2013. In addition, the airline will inaugurate a fourth flight simulator and launch a new Aviation Maintenance Technicians internal development program.

Copa Airlines continues to strengthen its contribution to Panama’s economic and social development, airline officials state, translating directly and indirectly to more than 38,000 jobs and an approximately 4.1 percent share of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to an International Air Transport Association (IATA) study on Economic Benefits of Panama Air Transport.

New destinations:

Campinas, Brazil: Copa Airlines will offer one daily flight to Campinas, its eighth destination in Brazil. Called the "Silicon Valley" of Brazil, Campinas is home to the second largest concentration of research and development centers in the country. It is also boasts Brazil’s fourth-largest financial sector. The new flight will begin operating in December 2014.

Cayo Santa María, Cuba: Copa Airlines will offer two weekly flights to its second destination in Cuba, increasing tourist access to beautiful beaches; hotel accommodations including many “all inclusive” hotels, approximately 12,500 rooms, 5-star hotels and the the Pedraplén de Caibarién, an impressive 48km road stretching across the sea to Cayo Santa Maria, awarded the international "Puente de Alcántara" prize for best Latin American civil works. This new flight will also begin operation in December 2014.

With the addition of these new destinations, by the end of 2014 Copa Airlines will offer flights to 69 destinations in 30 countries in North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean from its Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama. The Hub of the Americas continues to offer more international flights to destinations in Latin America than any other airline.